Unless you live under a rock, you’ve likely heard by now that using stories in your marketing is the Golden Ticket to business success. There are scads of blog posts and books out there all telling you WHY storytelling is so important: Stories help our brains...

Do you have a marketing plan for your business? No, I don’t mean all those plans you’ve got in your head. A plan that’s written down. (Or, more likely, typed into that thing you stare at most of the day.) If you’re like 99% of the folks I talk...

Did you know that your About Page is one of your website’s most important tools? For some of us, it’s probably one of THE most-visited pages on the entire site. And that’s because people want to know who they’re about to do business with. Are...

I have a confession. I used to think I was an extrovert. After all, I’ve never had qualms about speaking in public. I’ve never felt anxiety around being the new kid in the room. And there was a time in my self-employed career when I was sure that my...

Have you seen the above rules before? It’s super-smart advice! [Get more writing and content marketing tips from Copyblogger.] Here’s Step #11: Don’t Write in a Vacuum. It’s simple: if you want to get better — no matter what your...

What do you stand for? Questions to get you started: What’s bugging you about how your competitors operate? What do you see happening that needs to stop? What positive changes need to be made in your industry or line of business that everyone else seems...

One of the things you want to do is personify the problems of your customers. Why? Because it helps you tell better stories about how you fix those problems. I’ve done this for my own business, and was able to identify almost a dozen evil characters that stop my...

Have you ever been seduced by a vegetable? I have. And her name is Artichoke. What is it about her that draws me in? She’s beautiful, sensual and earthy all at once. She has hidden mysteries, layers of “meaty” stories, and a delicious interior that...

If you’ve been online for any length of time, you’re familiar with phrases like “6-figure Blueprint” or “High-traffic Formula.” Maybe you’ve used one of those jargon phrases in your own marketing? It would be hard not to. People devour that kind of thing....

Julia sat on the edge of her seat, leaning in toward the fire. “Mad Henry lived alone in a run down mansion at the edge of town.” Her father’s voice hung in the air, low and steady. “Rumors about the wild-eyed man never died. Some folks said he...

(and WHO is that, exactly?) And now for something completely different. Rather than hear from me, I’d like to get to know you. Here’s how to play: Introduce yourself and your business to the rest of the world in a comment below. Include any links to your...

Wondering which branding quiz will give you the definitive answers about what makes you unique? It’s true, you’ve got options. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock lately, you’ve undoubtedly been harassed by at least a dozen “Which...

Humans. We all love a good story. Especially if they’re true. Ever watched a movie based on a true story? This weekend, I found myself engrossed in “Big Miracle.” It’s based on the true story of the international effort to rescue a family of...

What story does your pricing tell about you and your business? In the past, experts said if you wanted to position yourself as high quality or even luxury, you’d better price your product high. Why? Because higher prices tell your potential customers your stuff...

You’ve seen the marketing hype and heard all the promises: Build a Six-Figure Business in just 60 Days! Or, Fail Fast, Succeed Faster. There’s even a magazine called Fast Company. And it’s true: most of us want that income NOW. We’ve got bills...

Every hero has one: an origin story. Bruce Wayne watched a mugger brutally kill his parents when he was just a child. Peter Parker found his inner hero after a radioactive spider bit him. Buffy discovered she was “The Chosen One” and learned to leverage her slayer...

Ideas. If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you’re distracted by at least one or two every day. If you’re lucky, one or two might spark your next great blog post or a heartfelt email to your subscribers. (LOVE those.) But if those ideas just seem to...

When was the last time you said something provocative? That you knew might make waves with your peers and colleagues? Or with your clients or potential customers? And not just in your head, but out loud? If you’re like me, you’re probably — mostly...

Julia leaned back in her chair and watched her laptop power-up. Coffee. It was 5:42 in the morning. And coffee was about the only coherent thought she could muster. She opened her Google calendar. What time is that appointment again? She had a 10:30 call with a...

I have a confession: I’ve never really enjoyed writing marketing plans. There’s math, and a bazillion details and research. And planning feels so…corporate. I did a LOT of it when I headed up various marketing departments earlier in my career. After...

It was 4 a.m. on a Monday and most of the water protectors were gathered around a bonfire near the foot of a bridge in Standing Rock, North Dakota. But not Sophia. The 21-year old woman was up on the bridge with a friend when she was hit in the forearm with what folks...

In preparation for the launch of Story Bistro, I reached out to my readers and asked for your best storytelling questions. At least half of the ones you sent were a variation on this one: I work in two distinct areas. How can I incorporate them both into my story? Or...

Just for a moment, close your eyes and picture the dining room in your home. What kind of table do you have? What wood is it made from? How many chairs will fit around it (comfortably)? Visualize that table set for a dinner party. Choose the Placemats. Dishes....

It happened again this morning. (Sometimes it feels like Groundhog Day around here.) Groggy-eyed, I opened my email to find that someone else was talking about the power of storytelling. Again. In case you hadn’t noticed, “storytelling” is the latest...

“Sometimes I wish the apocalypse would get here, already.” My younger sister said this to me while we were talking about the state of the world. She’s pregnant with twins. Boys this time. (She’s already got five kids — four are girls.)...

This post first appeared on TheWordChef.com in October 2013. When our Word Carnival group decided an homage to parenthood and business was in order (congrats on your new son, Nick!), I felt a little lost about how I might approach this month’s theme. Then I...

Julia stood on the sidewalk, the letter in her hand. She looked at it again and then searched the storefronts for a matching address. There IS no 404. Am I even on the right street? She craned her neck to read the street sign. Hmm. West Burnside. It’s the right...

This month, I got curious about the best practice of using The Hero’s Journey (aka The Monomyth) as THE structure for our best stories. For me, the problem is that this structure comes with the metaphors of battle built into it. And those metaphors bleed...

Ever wonder what the heck your purpose is? You’ve got a little business that you’d like to grow and sometimes you wonder if anyone really cares, right? If what you’re doing matters in the larger scheme of things? If what you have to offer would ever...

Prior to launching Story Bistro, I reached out to Word Chef readers and asked them to share their stories of entrepreneurial highs and lows as a way to both teach and inspire. If you’ve got an interesting story, please get in touch. I’ll be sharing more of...

I always encourage my clients to write a manifesto for their business. And no, I don’t want you to write something creepy a la The Unibomber. This isn’t about blowing people up. (Just their minds.) What I’m talking about here is clarity. Clarity for...

I must confess: beyond the pleasures that come with watching a slew of manly men in tight pants run around and get sweaty, I’m not really a fan of football. I watch to support Mr. Perfect’s interests and because (let’s face it) he’s holding the...

If you're the kind of host who cares about your Aunt Sally, you don't knowingly serve her shellfish when she's allergic.
By the same token, any marketing message you try to deliver should also be created around your knowledge of your prospect.

The $64,000 question is: Do your customers want to buy what you're selling?
If you've done your homework (i.e., market research), and you know without a doubt that your product or service is something people need and/or want, yet you still fail to generate sales, then there's something missing in your marketing messages.
In short, you're not "speaking" your customer's language (either online or in person).

One of the things I have my clients do over the course of our time together is create a persona (or three) for their customers’ Big Challenge/Desire. (It’s part of the Biz Story Outline.) We ask the question: Who, or What stands in the way of your client...

“In a troubled time, you must become that which you are longing for.” – Stephen Jenkinson, Orphan Wisdom School Do you know? When I’m caught up in the world’s chaos and anarchy, I long for peace. I want things to be OKAY. I want my son and my husband to...

This isn’t just another bandwagon. This is truly important stuff. Especially if you’re a mission-driven entrepreneur who has some world-changing ideas, products, or services. You know that business IS personal. That it SHOULD be personal. How else will we...

A CPA Dreams Big, Does the Math and Makes It Happen by Alecia Caine of Find Yourself in France My dream has roots in my childhood. I fell in love with the French language the first time I heard it in class when one of the mothers came in to teach us. I thought it was...

Stories are food. Feed everyone and be willing to let them feed you, too. Remember humans love stories — it’s hardwired into how we learn and grow. Why did you start your business? That’s a story. Who are your best customers (and what makes them the best)? That’s...

We humans love a good story. Especially when it’s true. Ever watch a movie based on a real-life events? Some of my all-time favorites have been inspired by true stories: The Pursuit of Happyness. Titanic. Unstoppable. Big Miracle. These were all compelling...

The Big Promise: How to tell a different story, break through the clutter, and win more customers by marketing less He’s the head of the Content Marketing Institute, so Joe Pulizzi should know a thing or two about content marketing. And in this book, he gives...

It’s an easy mistake to make. Especially when you’ve got some of the biggest brands in the world doing it, too. (Take AT&T, for example.) And there are SO many business coaches out there telling you you’re a rockstar. A phenomenaut. In short, a...

You and I have some seriously MAD storytelling skills. We might not always tell the best marketing stories, but we sure do tell ourselves some pretty amazing things on a regular basis. Unfortunately, those stories get in our way and keep us from creating the kinds of...

If you ever want to create something remarkable with your life and your business, you need to start now to think bigger about what's possible.
Here are 5 good habits to get into now. They'll help you get to that place where you can start to think bigger about yourself, your life and your business:

She’s a gnarly bitch that Comparisonitis. She and I bump heads at least once or twice a year. (When I was younger, it was more like once or twice a month.) You’d think I’d be less surprised now when she sidles up beside me. And not-so-innocently...

Ask Tad: How Do I Start Conversations Online? A note from Tea (aka The Chef): Bartenders are fabulous listeners, and Tad is one of the best. If you’ve got a question related to listening, conversations, or developing relationships with your prospective clients,...

Nothing draws a crowd quite like a crowd.” –P.T. Barnum Hear this truth: Your people love you. You’re conscientious. You over-deliver. You care about your clients’ success. You’re a big-hearted entrepreneur with the best of intentions. And hear this...

The Big Promise: How to tell your story in a noisy, social world. My biggest problem with this book is its core metaphor. Boxing? Blood sports? Knocking out your prospects? What the hell were you thinking, Gary? It took everything I had to just get through the intro....

[A poem] This isn’t a sales page with secret voodoo marketing tricks. The truth is there are no secrets. And you don’t need to be seduced, cajoled, or hypnotized. Your body and your heart know what’s best for you and your business. I’m here to...

Julia stood in the same spot she always came to when she wanted to disappear. The young adult stacks were in the far corner of the upstairs level. It was the quietest section of the store and easy to hide there. Usually. She stared at the shelf in front of her,...

Tell us a story! Sometimes finding inspiration — at least where your business blog’s concerned — can feel a bit like trying to touch your elbow to your nose (frustrating at worst, just plain laughable at best). I hear from a lot of you that...

I'm normally not drawn to reality TV shows. I'll admit a wee addiction in the past -- especially the early years of American Idol and The Apprentice. But I nipped those habits in the bud after a few seasons. It was easy. I just cancelled my cable.
But at the beginning of this year, I moved in with my boyfriend and rediscovered my love of reality TV through The Next Food Network Star. The main idea of the show is to find the next FN "star" (while also promoting FN and its current cast). But here's what you can learn from watching...

Is there an unfinished project on your plate? One you’ve been resisting and avoiding, even though you KNOW you need to get it done? It could be client work. Or it could be something like filing your taxes, launching a new program, or even publishing a simple...

This is a guest post by Zeus Yiamouyiannis, a reader who responded to a recent PB&J newsletter with this bit of helpful advice. (If you’re a reader, too — keep that in mind the next time you’re bold enough to reply to my emails!) Okay, you and I...

Your writing is tight. Authoritative. You're already speaking directly to one reader. Not using jargon. And yet...It still sounds like it could've been written by anyone in your industry. Here are 10 ways to make sure YOUR voice and personality shine through your writing.

Want to be different and stand out from the crowd? One of the best ways to do that is to challenge the status quo. And over at the Business Luminaries’ Roundtable, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Talking about the elephants in the various rooms of...

…You’d Be in Love, Too Few business owners are as lucky as I am. I don’t talk about them often enough, but I have some of the BEST clients in the world. Each of them are doing amazing things — changing and shifting, growing into more confident...

For those of you who don’t follow my personal exploits (yes, I’ve got a blog for those), I was recently diagnosed with not one, but FIVE potentially chronic issues: Vitamin D deficiency Gall stones (I’m one episode away from having it out surgically)...

Do you dread writing your About Page (like you dread cleaning out the fridge)? You’re not alone. We all know we need one. And yes, it’s probably one of THE most-visited pages on your entire site. (Have you checked your Google Analytics lately? Go do it....

“Words, are our most inexhaustible source of magic. They are our most potent forms of enchantment. Rich with the power to hurt or heal.” — Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Yes, words have a great deal of power. Here’s a short...

I was just eight years old when my father handed me the little hardcover book of inspirational stories and said, “You get to give a three-minute talk next month at church. This will help.” For those not familiar with the Mormon ways, every member of the...

Our world is seriously crazy. (And getting worse every day.) In just the last month, nearly 100 people have been shot dead in the U.S. (see Gun Violence). Every time you turn around, someone else is (rightly) up in arms about sexual harassment and gender violence (see...

Do you look the same as your competitors? SOUND the same? You might find this hard to believe, but even with my branding background, I’ve had a blind spot about HOW to stand out from the crowd. Differentiation — that fancy word for your Unique Value...

Some of you may have seen Amy’s video series, Content Marketing Stripped. She’s created a total of 20 videos so far — each one a gem filled with storytelling, humor and value. Perhaps (like me), you found yourself giggling out loud and sharing the...

You’ve been looking for the right marketing coach or mentor for awhile now, haven’t you? Or maybe it’s the right mastermind group? You know you NEED to do things differently, but you’re overwhelmed by all the advice out there? Look, I get it....

Eating healthy can sometimes be a tricky thing. Especially if you've got a sweet tooth. Or a penchant for all-things-fried.
When we don't make good choices, we end up feeling pretty miserable. And not just because we can't see our feet any longer. It really sucks when your bottom line won't fit into your favorite jeans!
The same is true for your marketing. Your website (and the other channels you use to promote yourself) need to have just the right balance of ingredients in order to keep a healthy number of customers and prospects at your table.

The Big Promise: Your entire life has created something unique and beautiful. This book will help you understand how to find and build on that information — whether that’s in a job or a business. This is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart. And...

Noise. Bloat. Overcrowded marketplaces. Saturated industries. I won’t kid you. It’s an uphill battle to create the right offer — a product or service — that stands head-and-shoulders above those of your competitors. And that battle? It’s...

Another entrepreneurial story from our series… Secret desires, we all have them. by Blaze Lazarony of Blaze a Brilliant Path Many people keep their desires locked up close to their heart. Some of us are brave enough, in time, to speak them out loud. I’m a big...

How can a rock supergroup who broke up 45 years ago help you tell the story of your business? Turns out, they can teach you a lot. I’m a huge Beatles fan, even though they split up before I was born (which would come as a surprise to my 7-year-old, who recently asked...

It’s Word Carnival time again! In this month’s episode we learn all about the dreaded Unique Value Proposition (or USP), why it’s so deceptively hard to figure out, and how you can nail it without having an emotional breakdown. Jargon is for jerks....

Do you know Kim Doyal (aka The WordPress Chick)? She’s got a super fun podcast that you should totally check out. Especially this week cuz I was her most recent guest. Listen in and if you have any questions, drop them into the comments here — or there...

Are you ready for an adventure, Storyteller? Or is your life already so full of strange and crazy that you only long for a quiet house and some peaceful chain-napping? Either way, I have a special invitation for you. But first, let’s talk about your biz story...